Garment band



M. L. HELLER Oct. 10, 1933.

GARMENT BAND Filed May 16, 1930 i 4 INVENTOR Mz'Zion L. HeZZer' ATTORN E Patented Oct. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention relates to garment bands and more especially to Waistbands such as used in boys trousers for attaching the trousers to a waist or the like through the agency of buttons and button-holes.

The objects of the invention are to provide an improved garment band which will not readily'tear out; to enable the band to give when required; to obtain a strong band with minimum material; to enable the band to be sewn with straight lines of stitching; to keep the band from drooping; to secure simplicity of construction and operation; and to obtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals indicate similar parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sectional portion of a garment band embodying my invention; I

Figure 2is a similar perspective view with the section taken on line 2- 2-of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective sectional view similar to Fig. 2, showing the band distended as occurs in use when strain is applied thereto at the button-holes; and

Figure 4' is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 3.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in said drawing, the reference numeral 1 indicates any garment, such as a pair of trousers, to which the waistband is or may be attached in use. The waistband proper, provides a body portion 2 of proper shape and of suitablematerial to fulfill the requirements of the manufacturer, seller or user; In the present showing, saidv body portion 2 provides ,an' upper or button-hole section of two plies of material, distinguished for purposes of this description as the facing material or ply 3 and as the lining or under ply 4. As the band is manufactured, these two" plies are sewn together permanently, and in performing that stitching operation, it is preferable that the upper edge of the lining or under ply 4' be hemmed over the upper edge of the facing material or ply to form an upper edge binding 5 by a line of stitching 6. The lining or under ply isnot as deep as the facing ply and is sewn near its bottom edge to the facingply by'a second line of stitching "i. It is a feature of the present invention to provide a structure wherein these two lines of stitches 6 and-7 are not-only straight, but parallel, so that the same may be runsimultaneously on a double needle machine. For convenience, I will refer to that part of the band from its upperedge'to the second line of stitching 7 as the button-hole section of the waistband, in that button-holes 8 are provided at intervals along the same, the button-holes each having a length substantially from the binding 5 at the top of the band to the second row of stitching 7.

Below thesecond line of stitching 7, the facing ply 3 is bent, on longitudinal line 9, back upon itself for a short fold 1'0 far enough to be sewn in with the said line of stitching 7, as will be further described hereinafter, and is there bent on a longitudinal-line or a fold 11 to again extend downwardly for a fold 12 longer than the first mentioned short fold 10. At the bottom of the band, the facing ply 3, or portion thereof above referred to as told 12, is bent inwardly upward behind the button-hole section constituting what may be termed the end fold 13 of the facing material. For convenience, the portion of the band below the secondlineof stitching, including this end fold 13, will be referred to as the plaited sestion to distinguish it from the button-hole section.

At the back of the band, preferably also attached by the said second line ofstitching 7, is an attaching strip 14 running longitudinally. of the band and positioned from the second line of stitching to a height above the band for attachment at its upper edge by stitches 15 to theupper edge of the garment. I have also shown the lower edge of the band sewnby a row of. stitches 16 to the garment. The rows of stitching 1-5' and16 by which the band is sewn to the garment are preferably .parallelQand are parallel to the lines of stitching 6 and 7 previously described. As a result, all of the stitching 'onthe band are parallel row, giving a neat appearance, and furthermore the twofirst rowsapplied'form a guide arid/gage I for the second two rows. In manufacture, the band when sewn to the garment, is put through a guide on a two needle machine for making the lines of stitching 15 and 16.

In use of a waistband, the most severe strain is applied at the back of thegarment, and it is'desirable to provide for a limited amount of give or distention at that part. It is a feature of the present invention to permit this distention without interfering with use of straight lines of stitches as above described. In the drawing I have shown a construction permitting distention of the waistband for a section thereof including two button-holes, but obviously a greater or'less length of distensible portion may be provided as desired. For each button-hole included in the distensible portion of the band is provided an elastic tape 17 or other resilient supporting means. In this showing utilizing an elastic tape, the tape is positioned to be longitudinal with respect to the button-hole or transverse to the length of the band. Said elastic is held at its upper part by the threads of the line of stitching 7 between the button-hole and plaited sections. The lower end of the elastic is secured when the garment band is secured in place in the garment by the lower line of stitching 16. Preferablythe.

elastic is placed at its upper part between the attaching strip 14 and the lining ply 4 and extends from there downwardly between the lower long fold 12 and the end fold 13 of the facing material at the bottom of theband. By providing an elastic of sufficient length, the same can extend to the bottom bend or crease of the band and be readily stitched in place in attaching the band in place.

It is intended that the several folds of the plaited section be permitted to straighten out when strain is applied to the waistband and as the elastic stretches under that strain. To accomplish this action, the line of stitching '7 between the button-hole section and the plaited section has to be applied without sewing the short and long folds 11 and 12 therein. In the manufacture of the bands, the lines of stitching 6 and 7 are run perfectly straight, or as nearly so as the operator can, and for that portion of the band not intended to be distensible the line of stitching 7 sews the several folds of the plait together, but as the needles of the machine get to the portion of the band which is to be distensible, the front folds of the plait and the end fold of the facing material are bent out of the path of the needle which proceeds to sew the remaining parts together. After the needle passes this distensible section the folds are permitted to fall back to place and the needle then sews the balance of the band together so as not to be distensible for that portion. To facilitate bending the end fold out of the way at the distensible portion while running the line of stitching the said end fold may be slit inwardly from its edge far enough to clear the path of the needle, the slits being at each end of the distensible portion. As the end fold is flattened out again after stitching is com pleted, the said slits are of no further use and are not shown.

The straight line of stitching 7 is present for the full length of the band, but in Figure l is not visible for a portion thereof, that portion having been held out of the way while the band was sewn and now having fallen back in place hides the stitches from view. Because of the perspective viewpoint in Figure 2, part of thesestitches may be seen at the left end of the view behind the front folds of the facing material.

I prefer to give as much room as possible around the button-hole to aid in the application of the button thereinto. In order to do this and yet prevent the band from sagging, I apply tacks 18 substantially midway between the buttonholes, said tacks preferably being near the top of the button-hole section and passingthrough said section to secure the same to the lining 14. Since the lining 14 is secured along its upper edge to the garment, it will be seen that the tacks will prevent drooping of the button-hole section and yet plenty of room is provided around the buttonhole down to the very bottom of the same with no interference by converging lines of stitches invention, and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact structure shown except as set forth in the following claims when construed in the light of the prior art.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:- 1. A garment band having a longitudinal button-hole section and plaited section sewn together with straight lines of stitches continuously parallel to the longitudinal edge of the band with the plait sewn to said section for a portion of its length and free to expand for another portion of its length.

2. A garment band having a longitudinal but- .100

ton-hole section and plaited section sewn together with straight lines of stitches continuously parallel to the longitudinal edge of the band with the plait sewn to said section for a portion of its length and free to expand for another portion of its length, and an elastic member for normally holding the expansible portion of the plait in un expanded position.

3. A garment band having a longitudinal button-hole section and plaited section sewn together with straight lines of stitches continuously parallel to the longitudinal edge of the band with the plait sewn to said section for a portion of its length and free to expand for another portion of its length, and an elastic member depending from which is free to expand and attached by said straight lines of stitching.

4. A garment band having a longitudinal button-hole section and plaited section sewn to-.

the buttonhole section behind the plaited section gether with straight lines of stitches continuous- 1y parallel to the longitudinal edge of the band with the plait sewn to said section for a portion of its length and free to expand for another portion of its length, and an elastic member depending from the button-hole section behind the' plaited section which is free to expand and attached near its upper part by said straight line of stitching and attached at its lower end to the lower edge of the plaited section.

5. A waistband comprising a longitudinal ton-hole section having a facing ply and a lining ply secured together by straight lines of stitches continuously parallel to the longitudinal edge of the band, said front ply having a plait and having as high as the upper edge of the plait, and button holes stitched through said turned-up edge and plait doubly reenforcing said button holes at the ends thereof subject to greatest strain.

but- 13o its lower edge turned up behind the plait at least 6. A waistband comprising a longitudinal button-hole section having a facing ply and a lining ply secured together by straight lines of stitches continuously parallel to the longitudinal edge of the band, said front ply having a plait and having its lower edge turned up behind the plait at least as high as the upper edge of the plait, the upper portion of the plait and the upper edge 7 of the said turned up portion of the front ply being stitched for a portion of their length by one of said rows of stitching and. free for the remainder of their lengths thereby enabling the lower portion of the band to be expanded, and button holes stitched through both the turnedup edge and the unexpanding portion of the plait thereby reenforcing said button holes by both said parts at the ends of the button holes subject to greatest strain.

7. A waistband comprising a longitudinal button-hole section having a facing ply and a lining ply secured together by a straight line of stitches continuously parallel to the longitudinal edge of the band, said front ply having a plait and having its lower edge turned up behind the plait sub-' stantially as high as the upper edge of the plait, said button-hole section having button holes therein extending onto said plait so as to be reenforced by the plait, and said turned-up edge so as to reenforce said button holes by both said parts at the ends of the button holes subject to greatest strain.

8. A waistband comprising a section plaited longitudinally intermediate the upper and lower edges of said waistband with the lower fold of the plait spaced from the lower edge of the section more than the depth of the plait whereby the plait will remain free upon stitching the lower part of the waistband to a garment by an attaching stitch irrespective of exercise of any care by the operator, and the upper edge of said plait being exposed enabling the operator to apply buttonholes at desired places without stitching into said upper edge of the plat.

9. A waistband comprising a section plaited longitudinally intermediate the upper and lower edges of said waistband with the lower fold of the plait spaced from the lower edge of the section more than the depth of the plait whereby the plait will remain free uponstitching the lower part of the waistband to a garment by an attaching stitch irrespective of exercise of any care by the operator, and the upper edge of said plait being exposed enabling the same to be manipulated by the operator during stitching, and a row of stitching holding the said exposed edge of the plait for a part of its length and underlying said plait and permitting the plait to expand at another part of its length.

10. A waistband comprising a section plaited longitudinally intermediate the upper and lower edges of said waistband with the lower fold of the plait spaced from the lower edge of the section more than the depth of the plait whereby the plait will remain free upon stitching the lower part of the waistband to a garment by an attaching stitch irrespective of exercise of any care by the operator, and the upper edge of said plait being exposed enabling the same to be manipulated by the operator during stitching, a row of stitching holding the said exposed edge of the plait for a part of its length and underlying said plait and permitting the plait to expand at another part of its length, and button holes stitched in the upper portion of the band, the button-hole stitching extending to said row of stitching and including the exposed edge of the plait at the parts thereof held by said row of stitching and underlying the plait at the part thereof where the row of stitches underlies said plait.

11. A waistband comprising a section plaited longitudinally intermediate the upper and lower edges of said section thereby providing upper and lower portions with the upper fold of the plait exposed in front of the said upper portion, and the lower fold of the plait behind said lower portion of the section, and stitching holding the upper fold of the plait to the upper section for a part of the length of the plait and out of engagement with the plait for another portion thereby enabling said plait to expand thereat.

12. A waistband comprising a section plaited longitudinally intermediate the upper and lower edges of said section thereby providing upper and lower portions with the upper fold of the plait exposed in front of the said upper portion, and the lower fold of the plait behind the said lower portion of the section, stitching holding the upper fold of the plait to the upper section for a part of the length of the plait and out of engagement with the plait for another portion thereby enabling said plait to expand thereat, and an elastic transverse to the plait behind said sections and secured by said stitching.

MILTON L. HELLER. 

